1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric lighting fixtures. More particularly it relates to light fixtures with enclosed electric wiring therein.
2. Background of the Invention
Long before the invention of the light bulb, lighting fixtures have been commonly used both indoor and outdoor. They have been used first with gas lighting systems and were later designed for use with electric light bulbs. The main purpose of lighting fixtures is to enclose the light bulbs therein and provide protection to the light bulb from external sources. Another common use of the lighting fixtures in some applications is to divert the direct beam of light so as to provide adequate lighting in a room. Yet another common use of lighting fixtures is to provide protection from external weather conditions and to prevent water or other sorts of harmful influence from contacting the lighting bulbs, light socket, wiring electrical connectors and other components of the lighting system. Still another common use of light fixtures is for decorative purposes internally in a home, externally at the entrance of a house, or in any other location where both light source and decoration is needed. It should be also understood that other uses for lighting fixtures are available and it is up to the user to determine the best use.
Generally, lighting fixtures have different designs and are used in different applications. Some are hung from ceilings and others are hung on walls. Wall hung lighting fixtures are commonly used in many applications both indoor and outdoor. There are many forms and shapes of wall hung lighting fixtures. One form of wall hung lighting fixture 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1 (and disclosed in prior art patent D440,007) includes a lamp housing 16 attached at top to support arm 14 that is attached to a backplate 12 affixed to a wall. Electrical wiring for such a fixture is encased in the support arm 14 and thereby concealed from view (for aesthetic purposes) and sheltered from the weather for safety and reliability purposes. Such fixtures are typically used in outdoor settings where protection for the electrical wiring from contact with water is critical. Another such an outdoor fixture 20 is illustrated in FIG. 2 (and disclosed in prior art patent D434,873). The lamp housing 26 is supported by and attached at the bottom by support arm 24 that is attached to backplate 22 attached to a wall. Electrical wiring is enclosed in support arm 24 and thereby protected from water. The wiring is concealed from view for aesthetic purposes. Referring now to FIG. 3, therein is disclosed a lighting fixture 30 commonly used in today""s indoor applications. The wiring 33 is commonly passed through the support bracket 32 and is threaded down a supporting rod or chain 34 connected to the lamp housing 6. Threading the wire around the chain or rod is normally acceptable in indoor applications, however, the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) specifies that for outdoor use where the wiring may be exposed to water that externally threading the wiring is not acceptable.
In view of the foregoing, an outdoor lighting fixture that is aesthetically pleasing and in accordance with the UL safety requirement is needed. The lighting fixture of the present invention is aesthetically pleasing, wherein the lamp housing appears to be supported by an upper support and hanging rods and the electric wiring is concealed in a rear support arm.
The present invention is directed to a lighting fixture having a lamp housing that appears to be suspended from an upper support arm wherein the electrical wiring is enclosed in a rear support arm. The lighting fixture includes an upper support arm and a plurality of downwardly disposed hanging rods attached at the proximal end to the support arm and at their distal end to the lamp housing. The fixture further includes a rear support arm connected to a backplate for mounting on a wall wherein the electric wiring from the lamp backplate to the lamp housing is enclosed in the rear support arm.